A few days ago I blogged about the role of faith in an epic high fantasy story. Now, if I mentioned faith and sacrifice in the same sentence would you automatically think, “Oh no, here comes a Jesus Christ reference!”
Think for a moment of a soldier. A soldier is one who goes to battle to protect those he loves from what appears to be of evil intent. He has faith in his commanders judgment and is willing to lay down his life for what he believes is the highest of chivalric and noble character – to give one’s life for something greater than himself. Now, this certainly is no reference to Jesus Christ, who died to save mankind of its sins.
Now go one step further. If a person received a command by the highest authority, his creator, and was supplied with gifts to set off on a journey to free seven enslaved races, knowing full well there will be tests and possible sacrifice, would you still insist the story was about Jesus Christ?
Here’s the setup. The Unseen, the mythical creator of my universe, pondered the creation of life, both immortal and mortal. What would happen and which would be more noble? His first thought is that the immortals would be, so he creates ten to steward over ten heavenly worlds, until he sees very quickly that from free will there are those that will not submit to his authority. He then creates mortal beings and for the immortals to be their stewards. He then proclaims that one day from the line of the first prophet, in the seventh line, a seventh son, Arimar, the messenger, will be born and that all evil will attempt to destroy him and his followers. The rebellious steward, Haggarfuse, unwilling to submit, designs to destroy everything and one-by-one nine worlds fall to complete death and darkness. It is on the final world, Allivar, which means The One Family, converges with their created beasts and demons. Arimar at birth is rushed and veiled until he reaches the age of wisdom and is then called to set off on his task. Having free will he almost commits suicide for the stress is too high with the expectations placed on him from prophecy, which is no more than a test.
Now that you have an idea of the brief history, Arimar sets off on his journey, which is just as perilous as any you have ever read. There is a journey to the north to confront a possessed king and then there is a journey home through a land where evil’s creations are Bound to Forbidden Lands, with every step being a test of faith.
Then the final battle of good and evil arrives in Last Stand of the Living. Here all the captains, the seventh son of he seventh generation of each race, rises from the fallen ages, to stand united. There in the battle, that is being lost, Arimar sees all that he loves: his captains and Elissia, whom he hopes to marry one day, sacrifice all they are, but appear to die to in a vain attempt. When he could easily lose his faith, Arimar is given a choice, to leave with the Unseen and not experience death, or to stay and die with all that remains of his mortal family. He then bargains with the Unseen that if he gives his own life, would the remaining peoples of the races be saved. The Unseen asks if he would truly do such a thing. Arimar offers it freely.
This is where I will tell you no more, because the battle takes a turn you will not see coming, yet was hinted over and over again in the first nine chapters of Rise of the Fallen. All I can say here, is that the battle is the largest I have ever read, which includes those found in the Lord of the Rings. How is that for a teaser?
The moral is simple, are we the living more worthy of stewardship than the immortals? Will the pain of loss and death teach us more of racial harmony and the stewardship of worlds? Are we able to withstand every test and stand for our faith? Will we, the living, stand against evil in all its forms and do what is right? Are we worthy enough? We will not see the fleeting nature of life, and the futility of war and hatred? We will understand the gift of life with all its pains?
This is the gist of the trilogy, then there are the upcoming Chronicles of Allivar, which is a parallel journey of history and events of the nine fallen worlds, the first six ages of Allivar and the final story in the seventh age – the age of light. When you complete the trilogy you will understand the nature and path of the chronicles. The first in this series is titled – The Fall of Helloria.
Seven is a significant number for it represents perfect completion. This is a hint for you as a reader. All you need to do is take a leap of faith and enter my world of Allivar. You will think, you will cry, but I promise you this too… you will cheer.
This is a mythology covering creation, life and the end of the ages. Those who love The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings should easily understand the context and construct of my stories.
